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You're entitled to your opinion, but I don't think that's very fair. Cameron is obviously a very creative, intelligent, and passionate filmmaker, I just think he sometimes has a bit of an issue of borrowing concepts from other artists and writers (which is fine) without giving them the proper credit and compensation at the time the film is made (not so fine).

While Cameron can certainly have an inflated ego at times, Ellison is no slouch in that department either. I can understand being upset with a filmmaker that borrows from you and others without proper recognition, but arrogant and elitist terms like "his betters" really rub me the wrong way.

Exactly. It's obnoxious self-aggrandizement.

Which is not to say Cameron doesn't need to keep his mouth shut - and more importantly stop using shit without giving proper credit.

Roger Deans artwork is well known and distinctive. There are many ideas details included in his artistic style. While many of them may not be completely unique to his work, enough of them put together in the way that he does IS a violation of his copyright.

Honest question: do you say that as any kind of expert on American copyright law?

Roger Deans artwork is well known and distinctive. There are many ideas details included in his artistic style. While many of them may not be completely unique to his work, enough of them put together in the way that he does IS a violation of his copyright.

Honest question: do you say that as any kind of expert on American copyright law?

OK, reading my post back, the use of the word copyright was a poor choice as it is steeped in legalese and subtext. I'd considered using 'artistic vision' but that just sounded wanky. I am no expert on American law.

I do, however, say that if the whale is white and the captain of the whaler is named Ahab you have a case.

Personally I think Dean will lose. I'd like him to get credit, but Cameron's legal team will be hard to beat.

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Avatar is a concept that was thought of planned out by none other than J. Michael Straczynski. Unfortunately for that under-appreciated visionary, James Cameron was spying on him in the shower as he mumbled the details to himself as they came to him.

Avatar is a concept that was thought of planned out by none other than J. Michael Straczynski. Unfortunately for that under-appreciated visionary, James Cameron was spying on him in the shower as he mumbled the details to himself as they came to him.

I wrote Avatar when I was in highschool. Though in my version the aliens weren't sexy cat people and there was a lot more "Starship Troopers"-esque propaganda to push the war effort against a clearly outmatched enemy.

As to the art in question, while there is some clear inspiration there, none of it rises to the level I would say constitutes theft. I have no doubt that some of Dean's work was posted up along with that of dozens of other artists to help shape the landscape of Pandora but if that was enough to sue over, no artist would ever make a dime because they would all be paying royalties to the artists that inspired them. I say that as an artist who can say with 100% confidence I've never made anything even 50% original in my life.

Dean's signature is in the style he applies to those concepts, not the concepts themselves, and it is clear to me the art team of Avatar took a path very different from that style.

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"There is no reason why good cannot triumph as often as evil. The triumph of anything is a matter of organization. If there are such things as angels, I hope that they are organized along the lines of the Maffia." - Winston Niles Rumfoord.

Ellison and Dean are probably more creative and original before they have their coffee in the morning than Cameron is all damned day. (Side note: Would love to see an Ellison story illustrated by Dean)

And, beside which, Avatar was a much better movie when it was Lawrence of Arabia, Dances With Wolves, and The Last Samurai. (And probably half a dozen other movies and TV shows I can't think off off the top of my head right now with essentially the same plot-line.)

IMO. YMMV.

Not every developed country fantasy about somebody going and joining the natives then leading them into battle is a copy of every other one. It's a pretty base fantasy that can be pandered to in many different ways.